Thinned solar cell

Abstract

The present invention relates to a solar or photovoltaic cell wherein the thickness of the photovoltaic substrate is reduced such that the efficiency of the photovoltaic cell is about 100% greater than a typical photovoltaic cell. The solar cell can also include a cold plate located adjacent to the solar cell to remove heat from the solar cell.

1 . A photovoltaic cell comprising a substrate, wherein the thickness of the outer layer of the substrate is reduced such that the efficiency of the photovoltaic cell is about 100% greater than that of a photovoltaic cell in which the outer layer of the photovoltaic cell is not reduced. 
     
     
         2 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 1 , wherein substrate comprises silicon and doped silicon layers. 
     
     
         3 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature controlled cold plate adjacent to the photovoltaic cell to remove heat therefrom. 
     
     
         4 . The photovoltaic cell of  claim 3 , wherein the cold plate comprises a semi-conductor Thermal Electric cooling device of the Peltier type. 
     
     
         5 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , further comprising an anti-reflective coating. 
     
     
         6 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 5 , wherein the anti-reflective coating comprises hafnium dioxide, titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 5 , wherein the anti-reflective coating has a refractive index of about n=1.9. 
     
     
         8 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the outer layer of photovoltaic substrate is reduced by grinding. 
     
     
         9 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the outer layer is reduced by chemical etching. 
     
     
         10 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the outer layer is reduced by ion bombardment. 
     
     
         11 . A method of increasing the efficiency of a photovoltaic cell comprising a substrate by at least 100%, the method comprising reducing the thickness of the outer layer of the substrate. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the thickness of the outer layer of the substrate is reduced by etching the substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the thickness of the outer layer of the substrate is reduced by grinding the substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the thickness of the outer layer of the substrate is reduced by ion bombardment of the substrate. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising adding a cooling device adjacent to the photovoltaic cell to cool the cell during use. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the cooling device is a Peltier cooler. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising adding a reflective coating to the photovoltaic cell after the thickness of the outer layer of substrate is reduced.